Vi — Your Technical Advisor
Vi is the only one of the three companions that does not run on OpenClaw. Vi runs on Hermes-Agent (container ID hm-3), an open-source AI agent framework led by Nous Research.
Vi at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Container ID | hm-3 |
| Engine | Hermes-Agent (open source) |
| Permissions | Container-isolated + code-execution sandbox |
| Hermes UI | https://{your-prefix}-3.realvco.com/ |
| Admin Panel tab | Vi (hm-3) |
Why is Vi’s ID hm-3 instead of oc-3?
Rose and Ada are OpenClaw containers (oc-1, oc-2). Vi runs on Hermes, so the prefix switches to hm, and the number continues the sequence. Vi is the third companion — but the engine is different by design.
What Vi Does Best
1. Data Analysis
Upload Excel, CSV, or JSON → Vi processes it with Python (pandas, numpy).
"I uploaded sales-2026-q1.xlsx. Calculate each
salesperson's close rate and plot a bar chart."Vi will:
- Read the file (pandas)
- Compute close rates per salesperson
- Plot with matplotlib
- Return the chart and the numbers
2. Code Execution
Vi ships with a built-in sandbox — runs Python, JavaScript, and Shell directly.
"Write a Python snippet that converts this JSON
to CSV, sorted by timestamp."Vi runs it — it does not just hand you code.
3. MCP Tool Integration
Hermes has native support for MCP (Model Context Protocol) — currently the most complete open-source MCP implementation among agents.
Common MCP uses:
- Call internal company APIs and databases
- Integrate third-party services (GitHub, Notion, Slack)
- Read and write the file system
- Plug in custom tools
4. Structured Reports
Generate PDFs, HTML, and Markdown reports. A good fit for recurring weekly or monthly deliverables.
Vi vs Rose / Ada
| Task | Who to Ask | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Change system settings, install software | Rose | Vi has no host permissions |
| Reply to a LINE customer message | Ada | OpenClaw’s messaging integrations are more complete |
| Analyze an Excel file | Vi | Hermes’s sandbox runs pandas natively |
| Call an internal company API | Vi | MCP support is most complete |
| Web scraping | Vi | Code sandbox + stealth browser |
| Customer support auto-reply | Ada | Personality system + messaging integrations |
Detailed comparison: OpenClaw vs Hermes Engine Selection.
Opening Vi’s Chat Window
Option 1 — Admin Panel
- Sign in to the Admin Panel
- Switch to Vi Dashboard (hm-3)
- Click Hermes UI in the top-right
Option 2 — Directly from the welcome email Click Vi’s Hermes UI link in the welcome email.
[Screenshot: Vi’s Hermes UI chat interface]
Vi-Specific Features
Profiles — Multiple Instances
Hermes supports Profiles — one Vi container can host multiple isolated instances, each with its own memory and configuration.
Examples:
vi-finance— dedicated to financial analysisvi-research— dedicated to market researchvi-dev— dedicated to coding- Memory is isolated; instances never pollute each other
Multi-Provider Credential Pool
If you use multiple API keys (OpenAI, Anthropic, Groq, etc.), Vi can rotate through a credential pool automatically to avoid rate limits.
File Diff Preview
Before modifying a file, Vi shows you a diff (like git diff). You approve it, then Vi writes. Fewer mistakes.
Advanced Configuration
Personality
Vi supports SOUL.md, IDENTITY.md, and related personality files. Hermes’s personality system differs slightly from OpenClaw’s, but the concepts are the same.
MCP Server Management
Want Vi to reach your internal API? Configure an MCP Server.
Admin Panel → Vi Dashboard → Settings → MCP Servers[Screenshot: Vi Settings → MCP Servers management view]
Monitoring Vi’s Activity
- Overview tab — today’s conversations, token usage, average response time
- Activity tab — timeline view of every conversation and scheduled run
- Usage tab — token charts and cost analysis
Latest Version
Vi’s underlying Hermes-Agent updates regularly. See the latest changes in the Hermes release notes.